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Stop Telling Me to Model

I have been told this since I was in high school, as my tall, lankiness seems to intrigue many of my peers.

I get it. It’s one of those obvious compliments I should be flattered by. Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the fact that you find me aesthetically pleasing. However, can’t we just leave it at that?

The fashion modeling industry is probably one of the worst industries to aspire to be in. Why so many girls covet modeling to begin with, I don’t understand. The glamour definitely stops at the front page of “Vogue”. The pay is shit. You have to starve yourself to fit the size 0 clothes and whatnot. I imagine that the percentage of models who actually make it to Heidi Klum/Tyra Banks status is pretty small. After all, it is an unskilled job with lots of competition.

On top of that, modeling careers are very short-lived. They stop at the same age women are no longer considered at the peak of their beauty – which is mid-thirties latest. All the big-name supermodels we know of don’t even work as models full-time, but work in the entertainment industry or run their own clothing line/business. Either way, you have to have a back-up plan.

I have always been good at math, and am now pursuing my degree in engineering/science. I like this field and do not plan on leaving it to pursue a shit career, thank you very much. I would rather do something that will actually pay me, allow me to exercise my brain a little, and have more returns in the long run.

The fact that people will suggest to a girl a terrible career choice just because it validates her as a beauty appalls me. I consider this to be one of the many things wrong with our cultural attitudes towards women.